Pakistan upset over Swedish cartoon

Pakistan Thursday strongly protested against what it called an "offensive and blasphemous" caricature in a Swedish newspaper. Sweden's charge d'affaires was summoned to the ministry and told that "the publication of the sketch had caused grave affront to the religious sentiments of Muslims," a statement said. Pakistan upset over Swedish cartoon "Such acts deeply undermine the efforts of those who seek to promote respect and understanding among religions and civilizations," it added. The Swedish envoy said his government shared the views of the Muslim community and termed the publication as unfortunate. The caricature, published last week in the regional newspaper Nerikes Allehanda in the city of Orebro, showed the prophet's head on a dog's body. The sketch attracted condemnation from the Iranian government on August 28 and was withdrawn from an art exhibition following protests by Muslim groups and others in Sweden. Like many countries, Pakistan experienced a series of demonstrations, many of them violent, in early 2006 over the publication the previous year of 12 caricatures of Mohammed in a Danish newspaper. The ministry said Pakistan would continue to work with like-mined countries in the UN "to find ways of addressing the recurring issue of defamation of Islam and its sacred personalities."

Pakistan upset over Swedish cartoon

"Such acts deeply undermine the efforts of those who seek to promote respect and understanding among religions and civilizations," it added.

The Swedish envoy said his government shared the views of the Muslim community and termed the publication as unfortunate.

The caricature, published last week in the regional newspaper Nerikes Allehanda in the city of Orebro, showed the prophet's head on a dog's body.

The sketch attracted condemnation from the Iranian government on August 28 and was withdrawn from an art exhibition following protests by Muslim groups and others in Sweden.

Like many countries, Pakistan experienced a series of demonstrations, many of them violent, in early 2006 over the publication the previous year of 12 caricatures of Mohammed in a Danish newspaper.

The ministry said Pakistan would continue to work with like-mined countries in the UN "to find ways of addressing the recurring issue of defamation of Islam and its sacred personalities."